24 August 2007

Public submissions invited on draft plans for managing New Zealand sea lion

The Department of Conservation released today (Saturday 25 August 2007) two draft plans aimed at better management of the New Zealand sea lion:

- Draft Population Management Plan: if approved by the Minister of Conservation (subject to concurrence by the Minister of Fisheries), this plan would set limits on fisheries-related deaths of sea lions arising in New Zealand fisheries waters (which includes the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone). This would be a statutory document, and would supersede the setting by the Minister of Fisheries of a limit on the number of sea lions killed in the squid fishery.

- Draft Species Management Plan: This non-statutory document, if approved, would provide guidance to DOC over the next 10 years on enabling the recovery of the New Zealand sea lion, e.g. in terms of population size, distribution and breeding locations. It would supersede the New Zealand (Hooker’s) Sea lion Recovery plan (1995), and would deal with all threats to the species, not just fishing threats.

In releasing the draft plans, DOC Director-General Al Morrison said that the Department would be stepping up work on improving the long-term survival chances of the New Zealand sea lion, a requirement under the Marine Mammals Protection Act.

“This is the world’s deepest diving sea lion, one of five species of sea lion around the world, and the latest science has been showing a decline in pup numbers at their breeding colonies in the subantarctic.”

“It’s taken some time but we now have the science and data and systems we need to develop robust plans for population and species management. We will continue to look into ways of further improving our methods of data collection and population management.”

“This is a round of public consultation. We are not saying that we’ve got it completely right at this stage; the public and interested parties have to have their say first. We welcome comment and particularly written comment. The feedback we get will help finalise the Population Management Plan and the Species Management Plan.”

Written submissions close on 29 October 2007. People wishing to be heard during a later round of public hearings will need to advise DOC in writing accordingly, by 29 October, as part of their written submission.

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Q & A:

1. Why is a PMP required when most of the fishing-related mortalities occur around the Auckland Islands?
Answer – It is important to have a population management plan for the total New Zealand sea lion population and not fragmented by fishery by year.

2. What was wrong with the number of mortalities allowed, set by the Minister of Fisheries around the Auckland and Campbell Islands?
Answer – The number of mortalities set by the Minister of Fisheries is set according to the objectives of utilisation and protection within the Fisheries Act. The objectives of the Marine Mammals Protection Act objectives, however, are population protection and recovery. With the PMP, planning for the recovery of the population will be addressed.

3. Why hasn’t a PMP been put in place before?
Answer – It takes a considerable amount of information to be able to develop the necessary population models that underpin the PMP and only in recent years has sufficient information been available.

4. What has been the reaction to the numbers of New Zealand sea lions permitted to be killed in fishing related activities?
Answer - It is important to realise that these two discussion documents are in draft. The fishing industry say the numbers set are too low while the conservation groups say the numbers are too high. At the end of the day the numbers in the PMP must allow for protection and recovery based on the data
available.

5. What is the Minister of Fisheries’ role in this process?
Answer - Before the PMP can be put in place, concurrence must be obtained from the Minister of Fisheries.

6. What will the SMP cover that the PMP does not?
Answer - The PMP only addresses fishing related mortalities. The SMP includes all threats not only fishing e.g. disease, tourism, disturbance, marine debris entanglement.

7. Why are two documents required, can’t they be combined, what is the difference?
Answer – The PMP is a statutory document that only looks at the direct impacts of fishing on the New Zealand sea lions, while the SMP deals with the full range of issues related to the recovery of the New Zealand sea lions and will work as an in-house policy for DOC.

8. Where can I get copies of these documents?
Answer - See public notices reproduced below.

Draft Population Management Plan for New Zealand Sea Lions

Section 3H (1) Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978

The draft Population Management Plan for the New Zealand Sea Lion is now available for inspection from 9 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday at the following DOC offices: Auckland Conservancy Office, Cnr Karangahape Road & Liverpool Street, Auckland 1010; Auckland Visitor Centre, Ground Floor Ferry Buildings, Quay Street, Auckland 1010; Wellington Conservancy Office, 181 Thorndon Quay, Wellington; Wellington Visitor Centre, 18 Manners Street, Wellington 6011; Canterbury Conservancy Office, 133 Victoria Street, Christchurch 8013; Otago Conservancy Office, 77 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin 9016 and Southland Conservancy Office, Level 7, CUE on Don, 33 Don Street, Invercargill 9810. The Plan can also be viewed and downloaded from the DOC website http://www.doc.govt.nz in the “New on the site” section.

The draft Population Management Plan sets out the factors involved in setting a Maximum Allowable Level of Fishing-Related Mortality, and proposes such a level for the whole of New Zealand fishing waters and an area specific level for the fisheries management area 6T of the squid fishery (known as SQU 6T).

Any interested person or organisation may make a written submission to the Director-General on the draft Population Management Plan. If you wish to be heard in support of your submission you must advise this in your submission. Submissions must include the submitter’s full name and address and be sent to:

Director-General of Conservation, Conservation House, PO Box 10-420, Wellington 6143 Attn D Nicol. Email sealion[at]doc.govt.nz ; fax +64 4 471 1082.

Submissions must be lodged before 29 October 2007.

The Director-General may also hear submissions from people who have previously been consulted on the draft Plan. If you have been consulted and wish to be heard, please advise Doug Nicol before 29 October 2007.

If you have any questions on the consultation process or the draft Plan please contact Doug Nicol, Marine Conservation Unit, +64 4 471 3121 email dnicol[at]doc.govt.nz.

Al Morrison
Director-General of Conservation.

Draft New Zealand Sea Lion Species Management Plan

The draft New Zealand Sea Lion Species Management Plan is now available for inspection from 9 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday at the following DOC offices: Auckland Conservancy Office, Cnr Karangahape Road & Liverpool Street, Auckland 1010; Auckland Visitor Centre, Ground Floor Ferry Buildings, Quay Street, Auckland 1010; Wellington Conservancy Office, 181 Thorndon Quay, Wellington; Wellington Visitor Centre, 18 Manners Street, Wellington 6011; Canterbury Conservancy Office, 133 Victoria Street, Christchurch 8013; Otago Conservancy Office, 77 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin 9016 and Southland Conservancy Office, Level 7, CUE on Don, 33 Don Street, Invercargill 9810. The Plan can also be viewed and downloaded from the DOC website http://www.doc.govt.nz in the “New on the site” section.

The New Zealand Sea lion Species Management Plan provides guidance for the Department of Conservation management of this species over the next 10 years and replaces the New Zealand (Hooker’s) Sea lion Recovery Plan (1995).

Any interested person or organisation may make a written submission to the Manager Marine Conservation Unit on the draft Plan. Submissions must include the submitter’s full name and address and be sent to:
Felicity Wong, Manager Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation, Conservation House, PO Box 10-420, Wellington 6143 Attn D Nicol Email sealion[at]doc.govt.nz ; fax +64 4 471 1082.

Submissions must be lodged before 29 October 2007.

If you have any questions on the consultation process or the draft Plan please contact Doug Nicol, Marine Conservation Unit, +64 4 471 3121 email dnicol[at]doc.govt.nz.

Felicity Wong
Manager Marine Conservation Unit, Department of Conservation

ENDS

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